WARWICK, R.I. (WPRI) — The wolf hybrids mistaken for “ black coyotes ” in Warwick last spring have since made themselves at home in Ohio.
Willow and Wiley, who have since been dubbed the “401 Girls,” were brought to a wolfdog sanctuary called the Red Riding Hood Rescue Project after spending nearly a month at the Warwick Animal Shelter. While it is legal to own wolf hybrids in Ohio, Rhode Island is one of 12 states where it’s against the law.
The dogs gained notoriety after the two were spotted roaming around near Oakland Beach in April 2023. The sisters spent several days on the lam, sauntering down streets, running through yards and playing with one another along the shoreline.
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The wolfdogs were initially thought to be coyotes, until it was discovered that the two were intentionally set loose from a home on Powhatan Street. The two residents who intentionally released the wolfdogs were arrested and are facing animal cruelty and abandonment charges.